The National Association of Latino Independent Producers is now accepting applications for its spring 2010 Latino Writers Lab. The conference/workshop will take place May 19 through 23 in Santa Fe. It’s designed for people who want to work as professional screenwriters and develop strong screenplay material for production or sale. It includes skills development by professional instructors, direct mentoring of your work-in-progress and workshop lunches on various legal, guild and industry matters. Scripts can be in English or Spanish, but fluency in English is a requirement. From this five-day local session, 12 to 15 experienced writers will be selected to participate in a 10-day intensive lab this coming September in Santa Monica, Calif. The deadline to postmark your application is Wednesday, March 24, so you need to get on the ball. To download an application or dig up more details, log on to nalip.org.
Reel World: Saturday Morning Cartoons Saturday Morning Cartoons
Looking for something to do this Saturday morning? How about kicking it old school? I’m talking elementary school style. The Kosmos, the coffee house / art space located at 1715 Fifth Street NW, is hosting free nostalgic cartoons on the big screen every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. And if that’s not enough to get you out of bed, they’re offering bowls of sugary delicious cereal for just $1.50. Of course, they also sell coffee, tea, breakfast burritos, bagels and more. But that’s not really in the spirit of the event, is it? Pull up a couch, eat a bowl of Lucky Charms, watch some “Popeye the Sailor Man” … and feel free to wear your pajamas! Log on to www.thekosmos.org for details.
Reel World: Cinema Canine Cinema Canine
This Sunday, Guild Cinema in Nob Hill will host a special double-feature of doggie-related films. Starting at noon, it’s the documentary feature Mine . Geralyn Pezanoski’s film looks into the contentious world of pet adoption in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Although hundreds of dogs were rescued after the tragic event, many homeowners returned to New Orleans to find their beloved pets in the possession of other families. At 2 p.m., it’s the hybrid fiction-documenatry Sniff . Two British actors (Neil Morrissey and Richard Huw) are hired by Juliette (Amanda Plummer) to be concierges of a posh San Francisco dog hotel. They decide to use their time to make a documentary about dogs, covering topics from skateboarding mutts to the training of certified guide dogs. There will be a Q&A with Sniff filmmakers Barry Stone and Kim Webster and a demonstration by Assistance Dogs of the West after the screening. DVDs of Sniff will be available for sale at the lobby, and 10 percent of their proceeds will go to benefit Assistance Dogs of the West. Tickets are $8 general or $5 for children and seniors. For more info, log on to sniffthemovie.com.
